hCG Diet Review

by The Diet Critic on February 4, 2015

The hCG Diet is a weight loss plan based on adding hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) to an ultra low-calorie diet to help a person lose weight quickly, without feeling weak or hungry. hCG is a hormone that is naturally produced by the body during pregnancy. It is believed that the hormone is responsible for breaking down abdominal fat of the mother, so that the energy can be used to help feed the growing fetus. This would mean that it slightly boosts the metabolism of the mother. This has resulted in the belief that the hormone could encourage weight loss in non-pregnant individuals.

Therefore, proponents of this diet claim that the hormone can stimulate metabolism and burn fat at a rapid rate, while maintaining muscle. The hCG diet, which includes the hormone (which can be given as a shot or supposedly administered via oral drops, sprays or pellets), combined with an extremely low cal diet that limits dieters to typically 500 to 800 calories per day, will result in the average dieter reportedly losing one pound, daily.

Dieters will not be eating much on this short-term, 8-week diet plan. They are limited to two meals a day – lunch and dinner. Each meal must include one vegetable, one fruit, one protein and one bread. Sugar substitutes are permitted but butter and oils are off limits.

Pros

Although there is no official website for this particular diet, there is plenty of valuable information about the hCG Diet online from trusted sources, including the Mayo Clinic. People who follow very low-calorie diet plans are likely to lose weight quickly over the short-term.

Cons

The hCG Diet is not a safe or an effective diet for weight loss. The FDA has warned consumers to steer clear of any over-the-counter weight loss products that contain this hormone. In fact, the only legal way to take this hormone is if it is administered via an injection that is given to a patient by their healthcare provider. When used as a prescription medication, hCG is primarily used to treat fertility issues. It has not been approved for OTC use and there is zero evidence that it can help with weight loss or treat obesity. In addition, many OTC products that claim to contain hCG do not actually have it in their formula.

Moreover, many negative side effects have been reported by those who have followed this plan. For starters, any diet that is this deficient in calories carries risks such as irregular heartbeat, the formation of gallstones and imbalanced electrolytes. Other side effect associated with this diet include: irritability, fatigue, depression, restlessness, gyneomastia (breast swelling in men), edema (buildup of fluid), and a serious risk of blood clots.

Thus, the hCG diet is not a viable or safe solution for obesity or weight loss and should be avoided. There are far safer and more practical diets for weight loss that you can try. Consult with your doctor.